Finland announced Thursday it will seek to repeal a nearly four-decade ban on nuclear weapons, proposing legislation that would permit their import, transport and possession on Finnish territory for the first time since the Cold War.
Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen unveiled the proposal at a press briefing in Helsinki, framing the change as essential to Finland’s role in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). “The legislation does not match the needs Finland has as a NATO member,” Häkkänen said. “The goal is to ensure full protection for Finland in all situations.”
The draft amendment targets Finland’s 1987 Nuclear Energy Act, which currently prohibits all import, transport, supply and possession of nuclear devices on Finnish soil. Under the proposed changes, nuclear weapons would be permitted only in connection with Finland’s military defense, NATO collective defense, or allied defense cooperation.
Nato-jäsenyys tai DCA-sopimus ei edellytä ydinaseiden tai edes kuljettamisen sallimista Suomessa. Sitä ei ole pidetty järkevänä, koska Suomi on sodan syttyessä mahdollinen ensi-iskun kohde. Ja tässä sitä nyt ollaan – oikeistohallitus on sallimassa ydinaseet Suomessa. 3/3
— Li Andersson (@liandersson) March 5, 2026
Häkkänen stated Finland is not seeking permanent nuclear deployment and NATO has no current plans to station warheads in the country. Any permanent basing arrangement would require a separate international treaty and parliamentary approval, he added. The minister declined to outline specific scenarios under which nuclear weapons might enter Finnish territory, citing the classified nature of NATO nuclear strategy.
The proposal follows French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement this week that France would expand its nuclear arsenal and pursue deterrence cooperation with European partners including Germany, Poland and the Nordic states. Finland joined NATO in April 2023 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, bringing the alliance’s border with Russia to 1,340 kilometers.
Left Alliance leader Minja Koskela and Social Democratic lawmaker Johannes Koskinen criticized the government for limited parliamentary consultation before the public announcement. Li Andersson, a Finnish member of the European Parliament, wrote on X that the proposal would make Finland’s nuclear policy the most permissive in the Nordic region.
Suomeen on Häkkäsen esityksen johdosta tulossa pohjoismaiden sallivin linja ydinaseiden suhteen. Vakiintuneen kielteisen linjan muuttaminen ei ole Suomen edun mukaista. Sitä ei ole myöskään sellaisen pelotteen luominen, jossa on epäselvää, onko alueellamme ydinaseita vai ei. 1/
— Li Andersson (@liandersson) March 5, 2026
The draft is open for public comment until April 2, according to the Finnish Government.
